Conjurer of the Sea
Prologue:
After severing the chains, the Doors of Death vanished from Percy's sight. The doors vanished alongside Annabeth to the surface. Any hope of seeing the sun and the clear blue sky evaporated with the Doors of Death. His promise to Nico, broken. He had promised the spawn of Hades that he would see him on the other side. Now the other side meant the afterlife. Elysium if he was lucky. Percy contemplated whether he would risk being reborn again and aim for the Isles of Blest. The best afterlife he could hope for.
Percy was so lost in thought he forgot he was on the battlefield as he was nearly decapitated by the Titan Krios.
"Have you already given up, demigod?" Krios mused as he swung his sword aiming to cut Percy in half.
"Just curious about life after death." Percy responded although his voice was weak.
Bob and Small Bob provided their best efforts in thinning the battalions of reformed monsters. This time, they didn't reform instantly. Gold dust began to litter the harsh nether floors and Tartarus began to anger more. This was the first time Percy had ever felt genuine fear when facing an immortal opponent. Tartarus, the being radiated murderous intent, caused Percy to second guess if it was all worth it.
"It's a lost cause." Percy murmured to himself as his arms began shaking from fatigue. His lack of sleep and his hunger contributed to his fatigue. The flames of the River Phlegethon was all his stomach had eaten while trying to survive in the underworld.
Tartarus in his rage began absorbing everything in his path. He did not discriminate; he absorbed the lives of monsters and allies alike. Small Bob was quickly absorbed into the pit's mouth. Bob followed suit as his spear had no effect on the primordial of the pit. Damasen also fell victim to his father's rage. Tartarus' power pulled anything in his vicinity as Percy had to dig his heels into the ground to ensure he wasn't dragged alongside everyone else.
Krios was his next victim as he was unaware that the protogenoi was on a warpath. Annabeth had warned him that if he was absorbed by Tartarus there was no possibility of being reborn or choosing Elysium. His essence would be erased from existence. That fact rang true for immortal beings as well. Krios would never reform.
Percy was backed to the Coctyus River, the voices of true despair rang in his head. Tartarus inching closer. He looked back at the river and then to Tartarus. Percy realized his chances of fighting a protogenoi and winning were slim. He had to think of a way to survive this ordeal.
He had no other option; the tug in his gut was painful and almost unbearable. Willing a body of water that had a will of its own was difficult. Especially if it wasn't his father's domain. The Coctyus River rose along with Percy's movements. The river's water shaped itself into a hand as it wrapped itself around Tartarus who was unable to understand how a demigod could control a river that didn't belong to his father's domain.
The curse of the river enveloped Tartarus, it was called the river of Lamentation and Wailing for a reason. Percy tossed the primordial into the river. The river worked against the primordial of the pit. As the protogenoi attempted to rise from the river the current pulled him back in. Tartarus the location itself was rather unforgiving, even to his own manifested body.
Tartarus bellowed and howled in despair and anger until his voice slowly faded. The protogenoi laid motionless in the river. The river's current carried him further down into the harsh nether.
Percy tumbled to the ground as his body spasmed in fits of immense pain. His screams echoing through the cavernous underworld. His demigod resolve willed him from falling unconscious. He grabbed Anaklusmos and propped himself up with his sword, placing his entire body weight on the sword as it burrowed into the ground. The River Coctyus didn't appreciate being controlled and provided its own punishment to Percy.
His breathing was ragged and became heavier by the second. He knew there was no hope in surviving. Although he wasn't in any immediate danger there was no food or water for him to survive. Any monsters within the surrounding area would get grasps of his scent and hunt him down. The life of a demigod was truly tragic. He would perish, it was not a matter of if but a matter of when he would perish.
Percy's clothes were torn to shreds. His shirt barely held itself together as one sleeve barely hung over his shoulder. His pants were in tatters with multiple holes around his legs. His body was full of gashes and cuts. His hair filled to the brim with sweat. He continued walking through the harsh nether before collapsing onto the glassy sand. Percy looked up hoping for a miracle before he gasped in amazement.
Percy thought he had died, he couldn't believe what he was witnessing. Unexpectedly, a gate appeared right in front of Percy. It was the first time he had witnessed something so bizarre. Unlike the doors of death, the gate in front of him had an elaborate design. At the center of the door was a sun with a darkened moon. The design was complex with the upper half divided into twelve sections. The gate had steps to ascend to the door and was split into different colors. The upper section was green while the bottom section of the door was dark blue with golden lines.
Percy had to squint to ensure that he wasn't hallucinating. Looking at the sophisticated gate, Percy knew it was something Annabeth might have been interested in. Just thinking about her made his heart ache. He had sacrificed himself to ensure she would be safe. After all, he wasn't the demigod of the prophecy who would defeat Gaea. He had done his part, even if it meant that he would die a horrible death. His tragic flaw was loyalty after all. He would ensure those he cared about were safe even if it meant sacrificing himself and the world alongside with it.
As he looked on at the intricate gate he battled with his thoughts internally whether to enter through it. There was risk involved with that decision. The gate could be a trap that could lead him farther into the depths of Tartarus where even the gods wouldn't dare venture into. On the other hand if he stayed in the same location he was in now, Tartarus could come back from the Coctyus River. He was immortal after all.
Without a second thought Percy climbed the steps and ventured into the gate. As he opened the gate a shining light enveloped his vision before he continued into the unknown.
Percy awoke in an alley with his clothing still in tatters. He lifted his head from the cobblestone streets and looked behind him hoping to see the gate. However, the gate had disappeared. His focus shifted to the bustling streets full of people. He could understand their language, but it wasn't the American English he was used to. Demigods had a knack for grasping languages quicker as their dyslexia allowed them to understand ancient languages such as Greek and Latin. This language was neither but he knew it wasn't a newly discovered language.
Percy got up and brushed the dust that had accumulated on his clothing. He was still bruised and battered. However, resting while being unconscious helped him in healing some of his wounds. As he canvassed through the streets his stomach began to growl. The unfortunate realization was that he was famished. He also had no currency to purchase a meal. He was sure this wasn't his world, everything was still underdeveloped unlike the technologies of the modern world. He noticed that no one had cell phones or any technology of that sort.
"I really need help" Someone pleaded through the bustling conversations. The individual's pleas fell on deaf ears to the surrounding people.
"My wife is in danger , I need help" The man pleaded once again.
"Go hire a guild to help you out" Someone retorted annoyedly before continuing their own conversation.
"I don't have much money to hire a guild." The man looked around hoping to find someone kind enough to help him.
"Well go help her yourself" The man's shoulders dropped in defeat. He didn't understand how people could be so apathetic about his situation.
Percy shifted his focus to the pleading man. The man was your average individual. Average height, amber hair, and average features. Nothing particularly stood out about him.
Percy approached the man and waved at him attempting to get his attention. The man eyed him suspiciously. He scrutinized Percy's tattered clothing. To be fair he did look rather shabby and had the looks of a beggar.
"I don't have money for you." The man slumped against a building's wall.
"Oh I am not asking for money. I want to help out. In exchange you think you can buy me some food. I haven't eaten in a while." Percy responded as his stomach growled, further embarrassing him. At this point Percy would do anything to get some food, it had been a long time since he had a proper meal.
"No offense, but you don't look like you'll be much help to me. You're in pretty rough shape. I don't want to be responsible for the death of a young man." The man responded as he buried his face into his hands.
"I can be really useful, I promise. How can I convince you?" Percy tapped the man interrupting his self loathing.
"Are you a mage?" Percy twisted his face in confusion at the odd question.
"A mage what is that?" The man sighed before he rose to his feet. He dropped his head and brushed past Percy.
"If you don't even know what a mage is you won't be of help like I told you." He waved off Percy as he continued his useless pleading to the people that walked past them.
"Can you at least explain to me what a mage is? Also what is your name? It's weird talking to someone without knowing their name." Percy caught up to his pace.
"The name is Flynn. To cut this conversation short, a mage is someone who can cast magic and can use spells to cast their magic power." Flynn finished as he continued to walk through the streets.
"Okay but what exactly type of magic, like they make things disappear and such?" Percy asked, confused. Back in his world, magic didn't really exist in the mortal world. Obviously Hecate was the goddess of Magic but he never actually saw her use her powers.
"No… Look I need help and you're just wasting my time. There's different types of magic, some of them are elemental such as fire, water and other forms of it." Flynn sounded exasperated.
"Oh you could have just said that" Percy responded matter of factly. In his world they didn't refer to it as magic. They were powers inherited from their godly parents.
Percy stopped Flynn as he stuck out his hand and created water from the surrounding droplets in the air. Flynn looked a bit shocked. However, the water magic Percy had produced wasn't overwhelmingly powerful.
"You can use some magic but it doesn't seem strong enough." Flynn slowed his pace hoping to see if Percy would showcase more of his ability.
"Right now since I am a bit hungry and beat up I don't have that much energy to produce more of my water powers. But I'm pretty handy with a sword." Percy reached into his pocket as he pulled out Anaklusmos in pen form.
As Percy uncapped it, the three foot long leaf shaped Xiphos sprung into its true form as it glowed in the sun. Flynn shrunk back realizing that the sword was actually real.
"You know how to use requip magic?" Flynn eyed the sword carefully from a safe distance.
"Don't know what that is, but I'm pretty handy with a sword. So what do you say? In exchange for saving your wife, can you buy me a meal?" Percy stuck his arm out hoping for a handshake.
"We'll give it a try. What is your name by the way, you don't look like you're from Fiore." Flynn asked as he shook Percy's hand.
"The name is Percy and yeah I'm definitely not from here." Percy smiled as he had secured a meal. He wouldn't have to resort to begging.
"Hey Flynn, why did we have to wait till dark?" Percy whispered as they laid low behind a wall.
"They are holding my wife hostage in one of these abandoned buildings. Let's just say I'm behind on some payments from a not so honest man. We have to be safely hidden" Flynn responded as he glanced around the corner to see if his wife's kidnappers were in the building.
Percy glanced around the corner and noticed quite a few dishonorable looking men. A few of them donned scars on their faces. Percy also noticed they were quite large and muscular. They reminded him of the Titan's physique back in his world. They were armed with spears and swords. Some of them had blunt maces safely secured to their backs.
"They look like typical ruffians to me." Percy reached into his pocket grasping Anaklusmos ready to spring into action.
"They are from a mercenary guild. They specialize and focus on physical training to make up for their lack of magic. They will be faster than the ordinary mage." Flynn explained to Percy.
"How do you know they're from a mercenary guild?" Percy continued to pester Flynn with questions.
"They're from the Southern Wolves, look at their mark." Flynn pointed to the symbol they held on their bodies. Percy focused on their physical appearance, noticing some of them had a wolf symbol on their biceps whilst others had them on their hands.
"Huh that's kind of cool." Percy mused as he looked at his forearm noticing the SPQR tattoo with the trident was still burned onto his skin. It seemed entering a new world didn't remove it. He slowly covered it with his shirt sleeve. Thankfully Flynn had let him borrow some new clothing. He had to keep everything that could distinguish him from being from a different world hidden.
"Yea I guess so. Alright this what we're gonna do. We are going to have to sneak in and make sure my wife is in there. Don't want you to fight anyone unless it's absolutely necessary." Flynn explained to Percy as he pointed to a different walkway that led to another abandoned building that could help them sneak in and save his wife.
"I don't think I can do that. If I'm completely honest I'm not very good when it comes to sneaking around. I'm just gonna go in there and cause a distraction while you go inside and save your wife." Percy uncapped Anaklusmos as it sprung into its full divine form. The moonlight provided a nice hue to the blade.
"No no, bad idea, these are mercenaries. You don't know what they are capable of" Flynn pushed Percy back into the shadows.. Percy didn't like that he was being underestimated. He was a war veteran of two great prophecies. He was practically an adult already. Percy was supposed to turn eighteen in a few months in his own world.
"Just follow my lead, we won't save your wife if we don't take this risk." Percy said as he signaled Flynn to go through the walkway to infiltrate the building from another vantage point.
Flynn reluctantly listened to Percy. He looked at Percy who began to walk into the walkway littered with mercenaries. He knew this was a dreadful plan but he had to save his wife. He began walking into the other alleyway when he heard Percy shout and grab their attention.
"Hey!" Percy yelled as he walked through the alleyway captivating every single mercenary's attention.
"This is the wrong place to be, you will have to turn around, now." One of the mercenaries said as he unslung his spear from his back aiming it at Percy.
"Sorry, I have to find someone in that building." Percy scratched his head as he smiled innocently. He pointed to the building behind them as they all gathered ready for a fight.
"Kill h—" Before the mercenary could finish his sentence Percy sprang into action elbowing the talking mercenary's gut. Percy's elbow knocked the air out of the mercenary as he hunched over in pain. The spear clinging on the hard cobblestone floor.
The commotion alerted more mercenaries from the abandoned building as they flooded out the door. Percy was surrounded by quite a few mercenaries. They watched their comrade as he rolled in continuous pain.
"If you guys can just turn a blind eye for a few minutes while I look inside there won't be any problems." Percy attempted to negotiate with them, but they were very confident in their abilities.
Percy had to admit they were faster than the normal monsters he faced in Tartarus. However, he had fought gods and titans, nothing in this world could possibly compare to fighting literal immortals. Percy parried away all their attempts to slice him to pieces. To the naked eye it was a whirlwind of sparks as iron clashed with celestial bronze.
Percy knocked two mercenaries out with the blunt edge of his sword as they collapsed onto the hard ground. The other mercenaries were still aiming to defeat him but one by one they laid unconscious. Percy felt relieved, he was so used to having terrible odds when fighting against immortal entities back in his own world. It was a nice change that he didn't have to worry about dying. Flynn exited the abandoned structure with his wife as his eyes widened in shock. A multitude of mercenaries laid on the floor rolling in pain or unconscious.
"What happened here?" Flynn eyed the surrounding mercenaries while Percy meekly turned his sword back into pen form.
"They lost." Percy replied sarcastically as he eyed Flynn and the woman at his side.
"I assume that's your wife?" Percy pointed in the woman's direction.
"Yes, she's safe. Thanks for the help." Flynn responded before he embraced his wife.
Percy looked at the couple wistfully. The way they embraced reminded him of Annabeth. He broke his promise to her. They were supposed to reach the surface together. He failed in doing so, but as long as she was safe he held no regrets except losing the chance to have a long and fulfilling life with her.
"Hey Percy, why are you looking at us like that?" Flynn broke his thought process. Percy scratched the back of his head awkwardly.
"Oh it's nothing. You guys make a good couple." Percy shifted their attention back to them.
"We're going to head out of the country. While we defeated the mercenaries, I still owe a debt. I won't be able to live in peace unless I move out of Fiore." Flynn concluded as he rummaged through his pockets.
"That makes sense, I will see what other jobs I can come up with to make more money." Percy responded. Realizing that he had to make a living somehow.
"It isn't much but it should be enough jewels to keep you fed for a few days. I can point you to the right direction for jobs to get money. Some jobs require you to be in a guild so I recommend you join one soon. Some jobs don't require guild membership. For example you can teach children how to use magic at a teaching facility. Pays a decent 30,000 jewels. Or if you like animals you can do pet care and it's an average of 20,000 jewels." Flynn finished as he handed over two thousand jewels from his pocket. It wasn't much but that is all he could spare.
"I think you'll need it more than I will" Percy refused the money as he gently pushed away Flynn's hand.
"A promise is a promise Percy, you kept your end of the deal so I will as well. I have some friends that I know in other countries so it will be a fresh start for us. We can find a way to make money" Flynn signaled to him and his wife.
Hearing the word promise hurt Percy deeply. He didn't need to be reminded that he broke quite a few promises that he had with his friends. Usually he kept his promises, but he knew when he fell into Tartarus that making a promise that he would return was foolhardy. This was a fresh start he couldn't look behind for too long or it would ruin this chance of a new life.
"It's a done deal, I hope you guys stay safe." Percy shook Flynn's hand.
Percy soon realized that he would have to get accustomed to living in Fiore. It might not be his world but he had to make do with the situation he was given. He would have to make sure he made enough money to feed himself, eventually he would also have to find a place to stay. But those were worries for later. As he waved Flynn and his wife goodbye, Percy went to the nearest food establishment and bought himself a large meal.
Hello everyone, if you read to the end I really appreciate it. This is a crossover between Percy Jackson and the Olympians/ Heroes of Olympus with Fairy Tale. This story will divert a bit from the anime so I hope that won't be an issue with prospective readers. I decided to keep Percy the normal sarcastic and troublemaker personality that he held in the original books. The usual characters from Fairy tale will show up as well as some side characters. FYI: I decided to use a self insert NPC because I got tired of saying, the man said, the stranger said. Just better to have a name just for the sake of the beginning of the story. Flynn won't show up ever again :)